Jeff Choate’s failing Nevada Wolfpack

[billingsgriz]

Well ChemCat and FHGriz,

If Penn State can afford to buyout James Franklin--who had quite the winning overall record @ Penn State-- whom they fired today, for $ 50 million, and Texas A&M could afford $ 75 million to buy out Jimbo Fisher, I imagine--maybe incorrectly--that UNR could afford far, far less to buy out a failing Choate, so he may be on thin ice in Reno, now or in the immediate future, and Bozeman could start looking again like a good place to call home.

Bobby already has the perfect quote if that happens, " The sequel is never as good as the original," exactly what Choda said 7 years ago when we rehired Bobby. : ) !!!

 

[BozAngelesGriz]

Choate was at the right place at the right time. Also got very fortunate with the kid from Dillon and the kid from Butte. Choate is done having success because he was promoted above his level of competency. On another note, Nevada, New Mexico and UNLV are terrible jobs and programs.

UNLV is currently 6-0…I wouldn’t call that “terrible”

 

[uofmman1122]

UNLV is currently 6-0…I wouldn’t call that “terrible”

UNLV now is a much more attractive job than it was 20 years ago. There is real money and support moving into their program that hasn't been there before.

 

[Wolf777]

UNLV now is a much more attractive job than it was 20 years ago. There is real money and support moving into their program that hasn't been there before.

Seems that the raiders moving to town and that stadium made a world of difference.

 

[billingsgriz]

Don't look now, but life doesn't probably improve this week when Choate's Wolfpack, 1-5 has to travel to Albuquerque to take on former Idaho HC Jason Eck's New Mexico Lobos, 3-3, a battle of the wolves. And that probably isn't great news for Choda, as Eck is a better coach with charisma and has a better football team. If Nevada loses again, it's going to be tough for Choate to argue following Game # 7 that his Wolfpack will turn their season around in the second half.

As a side note, our young really talented safety Diezel Wilkinson, trasfer from Idaho, who had our lone sack against Cal Poly, was invited to join Coach Eck in Albuquerque, but the Spokane three-star football player, decided Missoula and UM were a better, safer athletic and academic fit for him plus Missoula is close to Spokane.

He isn't alone. Brooke Fatupaito was a star basketball player at Billings Skyview, Class AA first-team all State, that led Skyview to its first ever AA State Championship in 2022.

She picked the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque to continue her basketball career in college, starting the 2022-23 season, but while in Albuquerque, there were several shootings and murders near or even on campus, so after talking to her folks, they drove down to UNM, loaded up the U-Haul, drove Brooke back to Billings, and she was a freshman for Trish Binford in Bozeman last year--she had to sit out the rest of '22-23 since she transferred in season. She told the Billings media that it just wasn't fun in Albuquerque anymore when she kept receiving the " shelter in place " warnings in her dorm room from the UNM Police. We will see the 6-0 sophomore guard for MSU on Selvig Court early next year.

 

[billingsgriz]

Don't look now, but life doesn't probably improve this week when Choate's Wolfpack, 1-5 has to travel to Albuquerque to take on former Idaho HC Jason Eck's New Mexico Lobos, 3-3, a battle of the wolves. And that probably isn't great news for Choda, as Eck is a better coach with charisma and has a better football team. If Nevada loses again, it's going to be tough for Choate to argue following Game # 7 that his Wolfpack will turn their season around in the second half.

As a side note, our young really talented safety Diezel Wilkinson, trasfer from Idaho, who had our lone sack against Cal Poly, was invited to join Coach Eck in Albuquerque, but the Spokane three-star football player, decided Missoula and UM were a better, safer athletic and academic fit for him plus Missoula is close to Spokane.

He isn't alone. Brooke Fatupaito was a star basketball player at Billings Skyview, Class AA first-team all State, that led Skyview to its first ever AA State Championship in 2022.

She picked the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque to continue her basketball career in college, starting the 2022-23 season, but while in Albuquerque, there were several shootings and murders near or even on campus, so after talking to her folks, they drove down to UNM, loaded up the U-Haul, drove Brooke back to Billings, and she was a freshman for Trish Binford in Bozeman last year--she had to sit out the rest of '22-23 since she transferred in season. She told the Billings media that it just wasn't fun in Albuquerque anymore when she kept receiving the " shelter in place " warnings in her dorm room from the UNM Police. We will see the 6-0 sophomore guard for MSU on Selvig Court early next year.

I believe Brooke will be a junior for Coach Binford in Bozeman this year--she was a sophomore last year.

 

[BillingsMafia]

Nevada's rival is Boise State. No one is missing the Big Sky

 

[Copper Griz]

There is likely zero (0%) chance Nevada regrets moving up. The amount of money their basketball program has generated alone in their success alone has made it worth it. Their football program has enjoyed success over the years. There is a strong chance they regret hiring jeff choate as their football coach.

17,222 average attendance for football. Who is they? The school AD, admin, fans? Fans shouldn’t be too happy. Nothing to go see. Garbage teams in a garbage conference and no chance of a playoff game. Woo hoo!! Sign me up for that.

 

[Copper Griz]

UNLV is currently 6-0…I wouldn’t call that “terrible”

Yet, no chance for a playoff game. None, nada, zero. You potentially won a crap conference. The end. Add mid tier playoffs and then you have something. Until then - garbage.

 

[nicktaber58]

17,222 average attendance for football. Who is they? The school AD, admin, fans? Fans shouldn’t be too happy. Nothing to go see. Garbage teams in a garbage conference and no chance of a playoff game. Woo hoo!! Sign me up for that.

They're down in football right now, no doubt. But when Chris ault was head coach, they had it rolling. And their basketball program is one of the top programs in the west

 

[MikeyGriz]

Yet, no chance for a playoff game. None, nada, zero. You potentially won a crap conference. The end. Add mid tier playoffs and then you have something. Until then - garbage.

But they are bowl eligible!

 

[BozAngelesGriz]

Yet, no chance for a playoff game. None, nada, zero. You potentially won a crap conference. The end. Add mid tier playoffs and then you have something. Until then - garbage.

I don’t disagree, and I have never been in the “move-up” camp. But UNLV is an undefeated FBS team half way through the season. So they aren’t terrible.

 

[5280Griz]

This isn’t the same UNLV program as when BH was there 15 years ago

 

[IdaGriz01]

But they are bowl eligible!

Yep. Not exactly sure why non-FBS fans sneer at the bowl system. Lots of people show up (pretty good gate in many cases) and enough watch the broadcasts to make money for the sponsors. Sure, some write it off to publicity, but they consider that a worthwhile investment. The players – those that don't opt out – get to play another game and apparently get some pretty neat swag ... probably enhanced by the NIL windfall at the top.

 

[IdaGriz01]

This isn’t the same UNLV program as when BH was there 15 years ago

Totally different. They are no longer largely dependent on just the local power HS, and the area hosts a bunch of college and pro sports. I'd imagine the NIL money is out of sight for the top prospects.

 

[Blgs Griz Fan]

Nailed it. Choate is such a mediocre head coach who would've been ran out of bozeman had in not been for wins against mediocre griz teams.

And a well-timed questionable time out.

 

[Catsrback76]

If Vigen is gone and Choate is gone from Nevada...the kittens would hire Choate in a NY minute...why? Cause his teams beat the Griz.

You don’t know, what you don’t know! That would NEVER happen quite unlike um rehiring Bobby…the Cats recognize when a moment has passed…and don’t try to make history come back to dominance!

 

[Allezchat]

I creep here but have been trying to not post as much, you guys have an abundance of Cat Trolls. If this scenario played out, I’ll cancel my donations to the Cats and send to Griz and provide proof on this board. I don’t have any respect for Choate and don’t like the all bark no bite approach. I do not think the administration would want him back but if that happens it will be what pushes me back to being a Griz fan.

So you used to be a griz fan, then decided you wanted to be a Cat fan, and now you might go back to being a griz fan?

How many years before going back to being a Cat fan do you think? And then after that back to a griz fan? And back and then back and then back?

 

[Copper Griz]

Yep. Not exactly sure why non-FBS fans sneer at the bowl system. Lots of people show up (pretty good gate in many cases) and enough watch the broadcasts to make money for the sponsors. Sure, some write it off to publicity, but they consider that a worthwhile investment. The players – those that don't opt out – get to play another game and apparently get some pretty neat swag ... probably enhanced by the NIL windfall at the top.

It’s not about sneering at the bowl system as much as sneering about moving from a division where there are playoffs. The Griz have a chance to actually win something meaningful every year and would move to “bowl eligible” and having little to no chance of winning anything. If there was a mid tier playoff system it would change everything. The money pouring into Missoula with playoffs is a huge lift to the economy and fans love it. Versus, Hey! We get one lousy bowl game that won’t be held in Missoula. The impact of moving up is much greater than just TV revenue. If it’s all about dollars for the universities - maybe. You have to fund all the programs at a higher scholarship level and you travel further. Lose some of your fan base and dollars to the economy. It just doesn’t make sense to me.

 

[ElrodGrizzly]

Yep. Not exactly sure why non-FBS fans sneer at the bowl system. Lots of people show up (pretty good gate in many cases) and enough watch the broadcasts to make money for the sponsors. Sure, some write it off to publicity, but they consider that a worthwhile investment. The players – those that don't opt out – get to play another game and apparently get some pretty neat swag ... probably enhanced by the NIL windfall at the top.

All of that just means less to me than a home playoff game.